


The Guild Masters

by emuwrites



Series: Starry Knight [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, BAMF Lucy Heartfilia, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/F, F/M, Fairy Tail Seven Year Time Skip, Guild Master Erza, Guild Master Erza Scarlet, Guild Master Lucy, Guild Master Lucy Heartfilia, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kid Fic, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Not Beta Read, Not your average soulmate fic, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Originally Posted Elsewhere, Platonic Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates, Slow Burn, Tenroujima Arc, The Author Regrets Nothing, What happened while the Tenrou team was away, ish, not for awhile though, the soulmate part won't be explained or fleshed out for a minute, there will be children
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23343787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emuwrites/pseuds/emuwrites
Summary: In which Erza and Lucy are left behind when just about everyone else leaves for Tenrou. How will they react when they find out the Tenrou groups gone missing? And just how close will they become?~7 Years Waiting Arc-x784: In Progressx785: Outlinedx786: Outlinedx787: Outlinedx788: Outlinedx789: Outlinedx790: Outlined~Whole Again Arc: ?-Epilogue Arc: ?
Relationships: Alzack Connell/Bisca Mulan, Cobra | Erik/Cubellios | Kinana, Droy (Fairy Tail)/Original Character(s), Jellal Fernandes/Erza Scarlet, Jellal Fernandes/Hibiki Lates, Jet(Fairy Tail)/Original Male Character, Lucy Heartfilia & Erza Scarlet, Lucy Heartfilia & Erza Scarlet & Jellal Fernandes, Lucy Heartfilia/Erza Scarlet, Max Alors/Original Character(s), Natsu Dragneel & Gray Fullbuster & Lucy Heartfilia & Erza Scarlet
Series: Starry Knight [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717420
Comments: 26
Kudos: 154





	1. Chapter One: Devil's Eyebrow and Angel's Smile

Erza really hated when dark guilds thought the world of themselves.

Erza had stopped by a local tavern while on her way back from her solo mission when she overheard some drunk dark mages talking a little too loudly about how they were so going to have some fun with Fairy Tail while all of their scary members left for the annual S-Class trials.

She remembered crushing her mug before throwing it at the back of one of the fools' head.

"Ow, what the hell?!" He had exclaimed before standing up proudly, his back still facing her. "If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get."

Some of his buddies had already caught on to who she was and were gesturing him to shut up but the dimwit continued.

"Guess I'll just have to-" He had started as he turned around, only stopping when he had caught sight of Erza, realizing only too late who she was. 

A whimper of fear had barely made its way out of his mouth before she had grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the table.

"What guild are you from?" Erza had asked, her tone deadly.

"D-D-Devil's... E-E-E-Eyeb-b-br-r-r-row." He had stammered, coughing harshly when she had let go of his throat.

"If I were you," Erza had begun. "I would make sure to tell your guild master... and all his little buddies, that if I were them..."

She had leaned in close to him before whispering menacingly.

"I'd think twice about attacking Fairy Tail. After all, I'll be staying there to personally make sure any dark mage who even thinks of attacking will get the punishment they deserve."

She had then leaned back and he had yelped in fright as soon as he got a good look at the terrifying expression of fury on her face.

"Do I make myself clear?"

The foolish mage had answered by scrambling off the table and running out of the bar, joining his buddies, who were already long gone.

~~~~~

Erza sighed as she finished recounting the events to Master Makarov and watched as he frowned, taking in the information before sighing.

"Well, I guess we'll have to change some things then." He grumbled. "You'll have to stay here and keep watch."

Erza nodded, assuming that would have to happen.

"Well originally I was gonna leave Macao in charge but you'll have to do it instead." Master Makarov grinned at her goofily. "Guess I'll get to retire for a little bit, huh?"

Erza froze in shock before stammering out excuses why she couldn't possibly be left in charge.

"Ah, shut up." He waved her concerns away, a cheeky grin still on his face. "If you're that concerned about it then why don't I assign Lucy to co-master the guild with you while I'm away?"

Erza blanched, clearly not expecting the compromise he gave her.

"If Lucy can put up with you and that team of idiots that she can certainly help you out." Master Makarov said before laughing pervertedly. "Besides, two banging bodies is better than one!"

Erza blushed intensely, steam coming out of her ears.

"Master!" She scolded. "You shouldn't say such indecent things."

"Let's go announce the news to the guild!" The old man laughed before making his way out of his office. "I wonder how Natsu will react, the brat."

~~~~~

Lucy sighed before looking around at the bustling guild hall. Things were as crazy as ever, that was for sure. Natsu was waving around Gray's underpants while Juvia, bright red, steamed in the corner and Gray hurled insults at him. Still, the normal crazy couldn't distract her from her thoughts. Cana was Gildarts’ (GILDARTS’!!) daughter?! The thought of it still blew her mind.

Lucy had offered to be Cana's partner but she had already partnered with Laki and didn't want to break up the partnership before it had even begun. Lucy had understood but couldn't help but feel a little bummed. It seemed like everyone would be going but her! She knew she was wrong but she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.  
Master suddenly came out of his office and jumped up onto the railing of the second floor before shouting to get everyone's attention. The brawl immediately stopped and Juvia snatched Gray's underpants from Natsu before giving it back to her beloved. Master cleared his throat before beginning.

"Due to a change in plans, Erza will be staying behind during the S-Class exams." There were shouts of confusion before Master raised his hand and they fell silent. "She and Lucy will temporarily be co-guild masters in my absence."

Lucy choked on her own spit as noise filled the guild hall.

"What?!? Lucy and Erza?!?"

"HOW MANLY!!"

"They're both females, you oaf!"

"Never thought Lucy would be master, but I can't say I mind it."

"Bunny girl's gonna be master? Gihi."

"ERZA'S NOT GONNA BE AT THE TRIALS?!?"

"Woah, Lu-chan!"

"Better luck next time Macao!"

"Oh shut up Wakaba!"

Lucy... was going to be master? What kinda weird reality was she just thrown into. There was no way she was strong enough to be master, let alone good enough!

"Oh my," Mira said giggling when she saw Lucy finally break out of her trance. "You've certainly just had the shock of your life."

"Mira help me!" Lucy wailed before clinging onto the barmaid desperately as she continued to giggle. "I'm in no way good enough to be master!"

Lucy felt the air chill and heard Mira's giggles stop. She froze comically before letting go of Mira and letting out a small 'eep!' when she saw the look on the take over mage's face.

"Lucy." Mira frowned. "You don't mean that do you?"

"Lucy, I myself did not feel worthy enough to be master, which is why Master gave the job to the both of us instead of me alone." Erza said before Lucy could respond, somehow having made her way behind the blonde.

"Really?" Lucy replied. "I never would have thought."

"You'll do great, Luce!" Natsu piped up, mid-fight with Gray. "Don't worry about it!"

"What the idiot said." Gray smiled at her before getting punched in the face.

Suddenly everyone in Fairy Tail was showing their support, overwhelming Lucy in a matter of seconds.

"You guys...." Lucy said, tears dripping down her face. "Thank you!"

She grinned happily at them and watched as they returned the gesture.

Erza smiled at her and Lucy smiled back. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. It's not like she was doing it alone after all.

~~~~~

Erza privately thought Lucy looked like an angel smiling like that. She looked so happy and sure of herself and Erza couldn't help but wish she looked like that all the time.

Erza had noticed that more often than not, Lucy had been looking a little down lately. She seemed unsure of herself and her capabilities lately and it concerned her. Surely Lucy knew of her strengths? They may not lie in the same fields as their fellow pyro friend and herself but they were there all the same.

Lucy was exceptionally smart and had very good leadership skills. In Erza's opinion, Lucy's smarts rivaled those of Levy's and Freed's. And whether or not Lucy recognized the fact, it took a lot of leadership skills to be a celestial spirit mage. In Erza's eyes, Lucy was a general and her spirits were the soldiers in her command.

Erza hoped that in time Lucy would see herself in these lights but she couldn't be certain. Maybe Erza would have to push things along a little and show the girl what she couldn't see for herself.

Erza always liked to think the world of her friends.


	2. Chapter Two: Goodbyes and Grave News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza and Lucy say goodbye to the Tenrou team.

It was finally time for the guild's S-Class and S-Class hopefuls to begin their journey to Tenrou Island. Lucy was sad to see them go but knew it was for the best. As much as she wanted them to stay or take her with them, she had been trusted with a duty she couldn't ignore.

She still couldn't believe that Master Makarov had decided to give her the role of master, it was hard for her to wrap her head around. After voicing her doubts in the guild the other day, Fairy Tail had surprised her with their faith in her. Lucy couldn't find it in herself to take that faith for granted, so she would give it her all.

Her only relief was that Erza would be master alongside her. Lucy didn't think she could handle it alone.

Erza tapped Lucy's shoulder, bringing her out of her thoughts, and pointed at the fairly large wooden boat in front of them.

"We're here." She said and Lucy nodded before making her way over to the group of Fairy Tail mages getting ready to leave.

"Cana!" Lucy called, making her way over to the card mage and grasping her hands. "Good luck!"

"Thanks, Lucy." The brunette smiled half-heartedly. "I'll do my best."

"And..." Lucy whispered. "Please, tell Gildarts, no matter what happens. If not for your own sake, then for his. He deserves to know."

"I'll... think about it," Cana replied, looking uncertain.

"That's all I can ask," Lucy said solemnly before repeating her well wishes and moving on to her next targets.

"Natsu! Happy! Good luck!"

"Thanks, Luce!" Natsu replied cheerily. "See you soon!"

"Bye Lushy!" Happy shouted. "We'll be back soon!"

"See you later guys!" she insisted. "Don't do anything stupid!"

"No promises!" Natsu cackled and ran onto the ship, obviously forgetting about his motion sickness.

She huffed, fond exasperation welling up in her. Those fools.

"Lu-chan!" Levy exclaimed. "See you later!"

"See you later, Levy-chan!" Lucy replied, waving.

"Bye Lucy!" called Gray.

"See ya, Gray!" She hollered.

"Lucy. Take good care of the guild."

Turning, she saw Master Makarov standing before her, unusually stern.

"Of course," Lucy reassured. "I wouldn't dream of doing anything else."

The small elderly man nodded before making his way onto the boat.

Before Lucy knew it all her goodbyes had been said and done. It took quite some time seeing as most of her friends were leaving. Sadness clouded her for a moment before she shook it off. Natsu, Gray, Levy, Cana... All of them deserved the chance to become S-Class. As much as she wanted to be by their sides, Lucy knew she did not yet deserve that rank. Maybe one day but... today was not that day. No matter how much she wanted it to be.

As she watched the boat sail away into the distance, Lucy felt lonely. Erza made her way to her side and Lucy pushed the feeling away. She still had nakama here and they were counting on her. Lucy just really hoped she didn't mess it up.

They watched the ship go until it was no longer able to be seen. Erza, taking that as her cue, looked over at her fellow master.

"Lucy," Erza said. "Let's head back to the guild. We have work to do."

"Yeah."

They left the port, not knowing that it would be quite some time until they saw their friends and teammates again.

~~~~

"Lucy..." Erza began quietly. "Do you have any ideas about how we can split the master's duties between the two of us? I'd like to hear your opinion."

"You'll definitely have to deal with any brawls and punishments." the girl chuckled nervously. "But, uh, I can do the paperwork. I know how to jump all the legal hoops and I was taught how to do it pretty efficiently back at the manor..."

Erza slumped visibly in relief.

"I'm glad." She admitted. "I had no idea where to begin with that side of things."

Lucy giggled and they continued walking toward the guild's doors.

The two girls entered the guild, the rest of the Fairy Tail members that had come to wish farewell to the Tenrou group filing in behind them. Things began to get back to normal and soon enough Fairy Tail was back to its regular rowdy self.

The co-masters decided to head upstairs to their temporary office space on the second floor, Master Makarov's office remaining out of bounds, and set up shop. They rearranged the joint room to their liking before Lucy started on a thick stack of paperwork and Erza went downstairs to break up a brawl.

~~~~

Erza had not expected things to run so smoothly but Lucy and herself seemed to make quite the team. Lucy often finished off her paperwork with time to spare, and Erza found that there were not as many brawls to break up as she was expecting. The two spent a good part of their week as co-masters sitting downstairs and watching the guild together. There was something deeply satisfying about knowing you did a good job with such a position and the companionship involved only elevated the satisfaction Erza felt.

Of course, they hit a couple of snags concerning property damage and the likes but Erza found that she had everything under control. She was quite glad she had not gotten stuck with paperwork and the legal side of things. Disciplining people, she could deal with, but she was thankful that Lucy had the other side of things handled. She was glad Master had decided to allow them to co-master in his absence, Erza was fairly certain she would be succumbing to the pressure otherwise. Lucy was a big help.

Speaking of said girl, it seemed she had finished her paperwork for the day. Lucy made her way to Kinana and ordered a smoothie before heading over to sit next to Erza.

"Long day?" The blonde asked, smiling.

"I suppose," Erza replied. "Much longer for you though, I'm sure. How many complaints has Fairy Tail received today?"

"32." Lucy sighed. "You may need to find a suitable punishment for Wakaba. The old fart smoked some of the cigars he was supposed to be delivering and thought he could get away with it."

Erza chuckled.

"I'll get on that." 

The doors to the guild opened and a council messenger walked in. Instantly the guild quieted. The messenger shifted nervously at the change in volume.

"Temporary Masters Lucy Heartfilia and Erza Scarlet, the council would like to speak with you concerning the fate of a group of Fairy Tail mages who have seemingly disappeared."

"Concerning the fate?" Erza questioned, her voice sharp.

"A dragon was sighted above the area they were last seen." The messenger continued, ignoring the increased whispering of the guild. "Said area has disappeared completely off the map after said dragon attacked. They have been assumed dead."

"Who?" Lucy's voice shook, overwhelmed with her need to confirm her fears. "Who... are these mages?"

"Makarov Dreyar, Gildarts Clive, Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Juvia Lockser, Cana Alberona, Laki Olietta. Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane Strauss." he listed, uncomfortably aware of the horror growing throughout the room. "Freed Justine, Evergreen, Bickslow, Gajeel Redfox, Levy McGarden, Wendy Marvell, and the exceeds known as Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily."

Erza felt like throwing up. Not a single one escaped their supposed fate? Erza knew they had gone to Tenrou island for the trials, seeing as she was almost a part of them. The tree prevented any member of Fairy Tail from dying on the island but the council worker said it had disappeared?

"Explain what you mean when you said the island disappeared." She commanded, her voice desperate. "You said the area is no longer on the map?"

The frog-like creature swallowed.

"After the dragon roared, the island was no longer there." He stated. "There's no trace left."

The guild erupted into chaos. Questions were being fired off at a rate that Erza herself could hardly keep up with. The place had erupted into utter madness.

"Leave." She told the messenger quietly. "Lucy and I will come to the council later for a full report but for now, it's best you go."

The messenger left and the guild became louder in an attempt to get him to return. Lucy, who had remained deathly quiet until then, stood and walked over to Erza's side with an unreadable expression.

"Quiet." She commanded, facing the guild.

The room became utterly silent.

"They're not dead." She began, raising a hand when others began to try and speak. "Listen to me! Would Natsu and them really go down that easily? The council has no evidence that proves they're dead which means they very well could be alive. Just because they disappeared doesn't mean they aren't gonna come back!"

"Lucy is right." Erza agreed softly. "There is a tree on the island that makes it so no Fairy Tail member can be killed there. There was no trace of the island which means it could be intact. I choose to believe in my nakama. They will reappear."

The guild roared their agreement, new hope giving them strength.

"Let's begin our search for them."


	3. Chapter Three: Searching and Supporting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lucy and Erza ask for help.

After saying their piece, Erza and Lucy made their way to their office, leaving the rest of Fairy Tail to talk among themselves. As soon as they had exited the guild's view Lucy had grasped Erza's hand tightly, looking for support. They made their way from the joint waiting room in between the two offices toward Erza's personal office area.

They sat down on the couch in Erza's office, tears streaming down both of their faces. Leaning against one another, Erza carefully shifted them from holding hands to holding on to each other for dear life.

The clock ticked in the office, the sound bringing a sense of reality to the situation. This nightmare... was real. So unfortunately real. Erza and Lucy sat, taking in the seriousness of the situation. It was silent for a while. The clock ticked and the girls trembled in each other’s arms.

Nothing felt real except the clock. It was hard to grasp the situation. The strongest people they knew... were missing. A dark feeling settled in their stomachs.

"Erza..." Lucy whispered. "Do you think they were transported to somewhere like Edolas?"

"For all we know, they could be in Edolas..." The girl replied. "We... we have no leads."

They listened to the clock, quiet again.

"We're gonna need some help looking for them." Lucy murmured, fidgeting with a strand of Erza's scarlet locks.

"Let's go get a full report from the council first."

~~~~

Lucy slammed the door behind her, having returned from dealing with the council.

"What gives them the right? An internal investigation?! WE'RE NOT A DARK GUILD!" She snarled, whipping around to look at Erza, who had come with her. "I know the council doesn't like us but that's really low. Using memory magic to make us think someone is one of our own? Despicable!"

"Lucy..." Erza sighed.

"Sure, we're not the easiest to manage." Lucy hissed. "But we do not deserve this treatment."

"Lucy!"

"What?" she spat.

"I understand that it sucks!" Erza began. "Trust me, I do! But we need to focus on looking for them, not on the council's shortcomings."

Lucy sighed heavily and collapsed into her office's desk chair.

"Where do we even begin?" she asked, the fight gone from her voice.

"With Fairy Tail's allies."

~~~~

Erza and Lucy entered Blue Pegasus, gaining the attention of most of the guild's members.

"Lucy. Erza." Hibiki greeted pleasantly. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing fun, that's for sure," Lucy replied, the look on her face turning sour before she forcefully smoothed it out. "It's nice to see you again Hibiki. Do you know where Master Bob is?"

"Erza! My honey!~" Ichiya flirted, coming out of nowhere. "How thoughtful of you to visit me!~"

"Not the time, Ichiya," Erza said, ignoring her instincts screaming at her to kick the old pervert into a wall. "We're here to speak with Master Bob."

"I hear you need to speak with me?" Said man questioned, walking over to them. "Where's Makarov? He should be back by now, yes?"

Erza and Lucy both looked away, pain overriding their senses. The Blue Pegasus guild quieted.

"I see." Master Bob sighed. "Has his age finally got to him?"

"No." Erza murmured. "He and many other Fairy Tail mages have disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Ichiya asked, ignoring the guild's increased whispering.

"They went to Tenrou Island for the S-Class trials. There was a dragon sighted, seemingly roaring at the island before it simply... was gone without a trace."

"This dragon..." Master Bob began. "Was it... the dragon of Gildarts' quest?"

"Yes. It was Acnologia."

Blue Pegasus erupted, every member loudly talking to each other and speculating.

Both looked away, not wanting the prying questions and pitying glances the Blue Pegasus guild had to offer.

"You think they're still alive, don't you?" Hibiki stated solemnly.

Erza and Lucy nodded, sorrow etched onto their faces.

"Please help us search for them."

~~~~  
"Lucy... wasn't Loke Gray's partner?" Erza mentioned as they flew through the sky on Christina II, eyes alighting with hope.

"Ah!" She exclaimed, scrambling. "You're right!"

"Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

"Lucy." Loke greeted. "Sorry I didn't use my own power to appear. There's something preventing that."

Erza tilted her head to the side and looked questioningly at him.

"Elaborate."

Loke pulled a golden key out from his pants' pocket.

"Capricorn!" Lucy said, recognizing the key as one of the ones her mother had had. "How did you...?"

"Grimoire Heart attacked the island during the exams. One of your mother's old servants had taken control of the key, possessing Capricorn's body. We banished him and since Capricorn's key has always belonged to you, I grabbed it. I would have sent the key straight to you but you were too far away at the time." Loke explained. "And if I reentered this world on my own power, the key wouldn't have come with me so I had to wait until you called me. You took longer than I expected."

"I'm sorry Loke, it slipped my mind. The past week has been... hectic to say the least." Lucy sighed. "Do you... know what happened to them?"

"No," Loke admitted softly. "I am certain Grimoire Heart has been defeated but after that, I lost touch with them. We... heard what happened from rumors in the spirit world but... I really hate to say that I don't know any more than that."

Lucy leaned into Erza, disappointment blooming in her chest. It seemed like no matter what they tried, they just couldn't catch a break.

"Thanks, Loke." She grimaced. "Go ahead and head back. You look like you still need some rest."

He nodded quietly before disappearing in a flash of gold.

Both girls leaned against the railing and each other, silently seeking support. Erza wrapped an arm around Lucy and pulled her into her chest, having requipped previously into a soft t-shirt and some jeans, rather than her usual armor. They stayed that way for the rest of the trip. And if they both shed a fair amount of tears? Well... no one needed to know.

"Thank you, Erza," Lucy said quietly as they separated. "Right now it feels like you're the only one I can trust to stay by my side. The... only thing keeping me from breaking into little pieces."

"Of course. I must thank you as well, Lucy. You have done the same for me."

~~~~

Gentle blue waves rocked a small wooden boat back and forth. Nothing but water could be seen for miles around. This place was special however. Because where nothing existed, Tenrou island once stood.

"Man, every time I see it, I still expect something different." Lyon lamented. "How long has it been now?"

"Two months." Jura stated.

Lyon whistled, startling a bird that had landed on the hull of the ship.

"Gray sure is taking his sweet time."

"Lyon-sama." Sherry fidgeted. "How can you be so sure of their survival?"

"You act like you've never met them Sherry." He replied.

Jura nodded.

"Defying the odds is Fairy Tail's speciality."

~~~~

"How did the search go?" Kinana asked as the two sat down at the bar. "Any leads?"

"No, nothing we didn't already know." Erza sighed. "Anything new at the guild?"

"Lucy has some paperwork from the council." She mentioned. "And, um..."

"More members left?" Lucy guessed.

"Yes. I... we're down to... let me count..." the girl murmured. "Macao, Wakaba, Nab, Vijeeter, Jet, Droy.... um, who else, Bisca, Alzack, Max, Warren, Reedus..., me, and you two."

"Fourteen."

"Yes."

"How long has it been?" Lucy sighed.

"Four months," Kinana stated.

The conversation paused for a moment. The guild... was painfully silent. Fewer members meant less noise. It didn't help that what members were left were too tired to do anything other than be quiet.

"Erza..." Lucy said, sounding far too worn out. "I still believe they're alive... But... We need to lessen the amount of time we spend searching for them. We should send out search parties every three weeks or...less. What we're doing now..."

"It doesn't work." Erza sighed. "I hate to agree but I know what you're saying. We have to... Regain a sense of normalcy."

"They wouldn't want us to waste away just because they're not here," Lucy mumbled.

"Masters." Jet called. "What... What should we do then? Sorry for listening in but... it's so quiet, I couldn't help but hear."

"You're okay, Jet." Lucy smiled half-heartedly.

"We live."

"Erza?" Droy questioned.

"We live." Erza grew louder, more confident in her words. "What would they say if they saw us like this? We have to make a home worth coming back to."

The guild murmured their agreement.

"We rebuild." Lucy smiled, gaining energy. "And we recruit. We need to start going on jobs again. We can't let the Fairy Tail name die just because we're sad they're not here. It's not like they're not coming back."

"I think I know the perfect way to start." Erza stood up. "Macao, is Romeo here?"

"I'm here Auntie Erza."

"Good." She grinned. "Now... where would you like your guild mark?"

"Really?!" The young boy exclaimed, practically vibrating from excitement.

"Really."

For the first time in a long time, Fairy Tail celebrated.


	4. Chapter Four: Rebuild and Recruit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza and Lucy begin to live again.

"Welcome to the big leagues, Erza, Lucy." Master Ooba of Lamia Scale introduced. "This is where the masters meet now. After the Clover location was destroyed on Team Natsu's first job, of course."

The girls ducked their heads sheepishly.

"Uh, sorry about that."

"No need to worry!" Master Bob waved their apologies away. "That's all in the past."

Erza and Lucy sat down at one of the many tables that littered the room. The tables were rectangular and they all faced a single circular table in the middle. An older man in council robes sat at that table, busy fiddling with a lacrima.

"Here's how these meetings work: we discuss current events first, before each guild master has the chance to update everyone on any news they've overheard that they consider important. Day two, the council brings any concerns to the guilds and the guild does the same for them." Master Goldmine explained, fidgeting with his hat all the while.

Tables began to fill up as more guild masters made their way to their seats. Soon enough, every seat was filled and the council member had put his lacrima away.  
"Welcome! I'm Dajuke Shoji, for those of you that are new." The man introduced, standing up.

"He says that every time and very rarely are any of us new." Master Bob whispered to the girls.

"I will spin you if you are not quiet."

Shoji cleared his throat.

"First off, we have current events. Fairy Tail's members are still missing and their Masters, Erza and Lucy, are no longer considered temporary masters. Welcome." The councilman stated.

The guild masters politely clapped.

"The royal family has also presented a new idea to the council called the Grand Magic Games. The games would be conducted every year and each guild would be able to send a team to compete. It would be in Crocus, the capital, and would be transmitted via lacrima. This event would determine which guild is the strongest in Fiore. The floor is now open."

The guild masters murmured to themselves before one of them raised their hands.

"Go ahead, Master Dijon."

"Thank you. First I'd like to welcome Masters Lucy and Erza to their first meeting." He paused for effect. "And second, I have a question about the Grand Magic Games. How many members are allowed per team?"

~~~~

Tears dripped down Erza's face as she sobbed quietly in the girl's bathroom. Her hands gripped the counter and she struggled to stay standing.

"Erza..."

"I don't know why I'm crying." The girl spit out. "I... I shouldn't be crying but hearing about Acnologia and... everything again just... Lucy, I'm so tired of crying."

"Grief." Lucy said solemnly. "Takes years to settle in. It doesn't just go away, even when we want it to be gone."

The girls stood quietly for a moment as Erza took the moment to recompose herself. Lucy waited until the girl was done before continuing.

"Thank you, Lucy." Erza sighed. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that."

"Erza..." She hesitated. "I don't know if this is the best time to ask but...would you train me? I... I need to be stronger."

"Of course." The girl murmured before placing a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "But please... promise me that you'll remember you're already strong."

"...I promise."

Erza pulled Lucy into a hug.

"I'm so glad I have you by my side." She whispered.

Lucy couldn't help but agree.

~~~~

The Fairy Tail guild hall buzzed with life. Decorations of all kinds decorated the walls and ceilings and children, laughing, ran through the crowds.

Erza and Lucy mingled through the crowds, accepting new members and exchanging greetings with townsfolk.

"The fair was a great idea," Kinana commented softly, handing a drink to Macao.

"To be honest, I wasn't sure how it would turn out. Fairy Tail... hasn't had the best reputation lately."

The two looked over to where Erza had made her way back to Lucy. The two were laughing, obviously pleased by the fair's success.

"I'm... kinda glad I didn't become guild master." Macao confessed, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "I don't think I would've handled this very well."

Kinana hummed absentmindedly.

"I dunno how it would have turned out. I'm sure it would've been fine." She began, eyes still focused on Lucy and Erza. "But those two... there's something about them that's changed. Something special. I just can't... place what it is."

Wakaba walked over, putting out his pipe.

"What're you guys talking about?" He asked before following their gaze. "Lucy and Erza?"

"Kinana was saying that there's something special about them. They've changed after... everything." Macao repiled.

The trio observed the pair closely.

"They've definitely changed for the better." Kinana stated. "Lucy's a lot more confident herself and Erza seems to have mellowed out. They've definitely become a really strong team."

"Yeah..." Wakaba huffed. "It's a good thing you weren't guild master, eh Macao?"

"Shut up Wakaba!"

~~~~

"Lucy!" Erza called, grabbing the girl by the arm.

"Oh hey, Erza!" She smiled brightly. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever! It's been crazy out here! How has the fair been going with you?"

"Ridiculously well." The redhead laughed. "It was a good idea, Lucy."

"Yeah, well it wasn't just mine you know." Lucy blushed.

The two smiled fondly at each other for a moment before breaking eye contact.

"I should get going," Erza said. "Lamia Scale will be here any second."

"Uh yeah," Lucy replied. "See you later?"

"Definitely."

The shared one last smile before separating.

What was that about? Lucy questioned in her mind while talking merrily with another guest. Why was it so... awkward?

Lucy decided to categorize it mentally as weird things that happen when you actually have friends and left it at that.

~~~~

"To thank everybody for the hard work today, Fairy Tail is hosting a party! Drinks are on us!" Erza announced after the townsfolk had returned to their homes.

Lucy shifted nervously, imagining just how much money was about to go down the drain.

"Erza!" She hissed.

"No need to worry, Lucy." The girl replied. "I will be paying for it personally."

"That's still a lot of money..." Lucy stressed.

"Lucy. Do not worry about it. I have everything under control. Besides, Fairy Tail deserves to party. We received many new members tonight." Erza smiled. "Now would you like to get a drink with me?"

"Sure, Erza." Lucy sighed, the corners of her mouth lifting up as she relented. "Don't blame me when you regret it tomorrow."

"I would never."

Lucy hummed sarcastically before shooting a grin at Erza.

"Sure."

"Lucy!"

The blonde giggled.

Erza crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the younger girl. She raised an eyebrow when Lucy only laughed harder.

"You're ridiculous."

~~~~

"I'm glad that things are becoming normal again." Jura said. "It was heartbreaking to see Fairy Tail so down in the dumps."

"Those new masters of yours sure know how to throw a party." Lyon slurred.

Kinana laughed and thanked him.

"Kinana." Master Bob called. "Do you notice anything different about them?"

The barmaid blushed.

"I see. You've noticed it too."

"Noticed what?" Jura questioned.

"The seeds of love planted in the garden of their hearts." Sherry stated. "What else?"

The group quieted for a moment.

"I... don't think so, Sherry." Kinana said, cheeks red.

"No, I wasn't talking about that either." Master Bob muttered.

"It's there though." Sherry deadpanned.

An awkward silence made itself present as the group thought over what Sherry said.

"There's no way... is there?" Jura questioned uncertainly.

"Yeah... no way."

Despite what had been said, everyone in the discussion remained a hint suspicious.

~~~~

Lucy and Erza ran, side by side, through the forest. They sprinted through trees, avoiding roots and Vulcans alike.

"Alright!" Erza called. "Let's stop here."

Lucy groaned and dropped onto the ground.

"I'm going to be so sore." She complained.

Erza chuckled.

"That is just a part of training, I'm afraid." She commented, stretching. "Now get up and stretch. It will be a lot worse if you continue to sit."

Lucy mumbled protests as she climbed to her feet before following Erza's lead.

"After this, we should meditate." Lucy sighed, feeling her shoulders pop.

"Meditate?" Erza questioned, pausing.

"Yeah. Capricorn was telling me about how it's good for your magic. My... My mother used to do it when she trained so... I figured..."

"I trust you, Lucy." Erza interrupted, smiling softly. "Let's do it."

Lucy called out Capricorn and sat down before beginning. Erza watched, having declined participating, wanting to see how it was done before doing it herself.

Golden and silver energy floated, bouncing happily around Lucy. Erza watched in awe as the magic made intricate patterns. Lazily it reached out towards Erza before it consumed her surroundings. It tickled her fingertips and weaved through strands of her hair. Erza felt her own magic reach out and flow out of her, intertwining with Lucy's. Deep scarlet strands tangled with gold and silver, making its way toward Lucy and interacting with her.

Capricorn watched as their magic played with each other, in shock.

Lucy opened her eyes and stared at Erza. The girl blushed bright red before drawing her magic back into her body. Erza focused on doing the same. She noticed that her scarlet energy was now tinted silver and wondered what had just occurred.

"That's unusual." Capricorn said, bringing clarity to the situation. "It's a sign of a great bond when two magics react to each other like that."

The girls sat in silence for a while, processing what had been said.

"You should meditate together often. It will strengthen your magic and your bond." He continued. "I'll bring you some books on the subject from Crux's library, Miss Lucy."  
"Capricorn, before you go." Erza said, gaining the spirit's attention. "I noticed that my magic had changed shade?"

"Side-effect."

With that, the goat left, disappearing in a cloud of golden energy.

The two girls stared at each other awkwardly.

"Well I guess that means we should train together more often." Lucy blushed, breaking the ice.

Erza laughed.

"I guess so."


	5. Chapter Five: Training and Complaining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy and Erza prepare for the first ever Grand Magic Games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for the kudos and comments!!

Erza clapped her armored hands together, creating a very loud sound.

"Ow!"

"Erza, what the hell?!"

"Listen up!" She announced, cutting the guild's complaints short. "Lucy and I have an announcement to make. The council has decided something."

The guild settled, their curiosity winning over their annoyance. 

"Lucy, if you will."

"The council has decided to host an annual competition where guilds will compete against each other for the title of the strongest guild in Fiore," Lucy said, not making eye contact with anyone, still uncomfortable with the amount of attention being guild master gets you. "We currently have that title from stories and things we've done so if we didn't go it would look bad and gain us a lot of negative attention."

The guild began chattering excitedly.

"Hold your horses, everyone!" Lucy exclaimed, pressing a finger against her lips and waiting for the guild to quiet before continuing. "To compete in this, you will be required to train with Erza and I."

"Aw, come on! Why can't we compete as we are?"

"What's the point of training?!"

"This is bulls-"

Erza whistled sharply, cutting off the many protests.

"You do not have to compete. We are asking those who want to compete to train with us so we can choose teams." She said sternly. "It will also be a good opportunity to grow for those who don't end up being on the team."

"Anyone is allowed to come so it's more a large group training session than anything else," Lucy interjected diplomatically. "The sessions will be held every Tuesday and Friday at 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM. Seeing as tomorrow is Tuesday, we'll start then. Make sure to sign up with Kinana so we can guesstimate how many people are coming."

"Dismissed," Erza announced curtly and Lucy stifled a giggle at how much like an army lieutenant she seemed.

A cough distracted her and she looked towards the guild curiously.

"Actually, um, Alzack and I have an announcement." Bisca piped up, her cheeks pink.

"We're, uh, dating." Alzack finished for her, very red and not looking anyone in the eye.

The guild exploded in congratulations, as well as some crude jokes, and Lucy watched the newly announced couple's faces get redder and redder.

She snorted when she looked over and noticed Erza's shocked face.

"I keep forgetting how close you and Bisca are." Lucy chuckled. "Why are you so surprised?"

Erza suddenly gained a proud facial expression and clutched her hand to her chest, tears dripping down her face.

"She did it..." Erza sniffed, absolutely ecstatic. "Bisca!"

Lucy laughed when Erza jumped off the second floor and dashed toward the couple. She picked them both up, crushing them into her very armored chest.

"She forgot to unequip her armor again..." Kinana remarked beside the trio, feeling bad for the couple.

The guild collectively winced when Erza hugged them even tighter and sobbed in delight.

~~~~~

Fairy Tail partied for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, that meant those who decided to sign up for the Grand Magic Games training were very hungover and tired when they arrived.

"Ughhh..." Macao groaned. "Why did I agree to do this?"

Romeo vibrated excitedly next to him, barely restraining himself from jumping up and down. He squinted his eyes at his son.

"Oh, yeah, that's why."

Wakaba chuckled beside him before stopping himself, head pounding from the night before.

"Alright, everyone!" Erza yelled, gaining many complaints about her volume. "Let's do a headcount so we know who is here."

Lucy cleared her throat, standing with a clipboard at Erza's side.

"Macao?"

"Here."

"Romeo?"

"Here!"

"Bisca?"

"Howdy."

"Alzack?"

"I'm here."

"Wakaba?"

Wakaba waved his hand at her. Erza glared at him.

"H-Here, ma'am."

Lucy hid a smile.

"Kiyoko?"

"Here, Master!"

"Jet?"

"I'm here."

"And... Droy."

"Here."

"Alright... I think that's everybody." Lucy commented, check-marking the last name on her list.

"Wonderful, Lucy." Erza smiled at her before directing her attention to the trainees. "Today we will work on figuring out your limits. How much you can lift, how far you can bend, how fast you can run. Be sure to not overextend yourself and no magic."

"Aw!" Jet cried.

"And at the end, Lucy will teach you to meditate."

"Meditate?" Romeo questioned uncertainly.

"Why would we need to meditate?" Jet asked.

"Well... it helps you manage your magic." Lucy rubbed her arm self-consciously. "It also helps you grow your magic and get stronger. When you meditate you release your magic and let it grow by combining it with the magic around you before pulling it back in and expanding your magic container. It's good for you."

The group blinked at her, still confused.

"Lucy and I can show you an example if you'd like." Erza offered. "But only after we test your limits."

The group groaned and Lucy laughed nervously, rubbing her neck.

"Let's get started then." Lucy smiled sheepishly when they complained.

~~~~~

The group of mages split into pairs. Macao worked with Kiyoko, Wakaba with Alzack, Jet with Romeo, and Bisca with Droy. They were not used to working with these partners, to say the least.

"Are you sure they don't need help?" Lucy whispered to Erza on the sidelines, watching the pairs awkward motions and relations with each other as they measured themselves in ability.

"No. This is good for them." Erza said confidently. "The guild tends to stay in smaller groups of teams so it's great to switch it up every once in a while."

"I suppose," Lucy replied, scratching her cheek.

She watched Alzack and Wakaba get into an argument as she marked down scores on her clipboard, looking for her guild members' weaknesses.

"...Are you sure?"

"As much as I can be, Lucy."

~~~~~

"Alright! That's enough for today!" Erza barked. "Lucy will help you cool down by teaching you to meditate."

"Weren't you... gonna show us first?" A desperate Alzack asked, yearning for a break.

"We did say that." Lucy chuckled. "Okay. But don't sit down. It's better to stand up after you exercise."

The girls sat down next to each other and Lucy easily slipped into her meditation. She had practiced this every day with Erza since Capricorn had advised them to train together. Lucy breathed out slowly before focusing on her magic. She could already feel Erza's magic in the air. She smiled. Golden and silver strands leaked out of her at a relaxed pace. Lucy grinned when they reached out once again and intertwined themselves with Erza's silver tinted scarlet strands.

The group of tired Fairy Tail members sat transfixed as the magic formed beautiful shapes and began to resemble the Fairy Tail guild mark.

"Wow..." Kiyoko breathed.

"That... looks super cool," Droy admitted.

"I know, right?" Kiyoko responded absently, eyes still focused on the sight in front of her.

Slowly Erza and Lucy drew their magic back in with measured breaths. The air settled around them and there was a moment of silence before everyone gave them a standing ovation.

"Holy crap, Erza! That was so cool!"

"Sorry for doubting your techniques Master Lucy, that was amazing."

The girls smiled at each other and helped one another get up.

"Ready to try it out for yourselves?" Lucy asked, grinning.

The group expressed their agreement loudly and Erza chuckled.

"Well, go ahead and stretch some first. You can then sit down and Lucy will show you how it's done." The scarlet haired beauty said.

Finally finishing up their stretching, they sat down side by side, in the same position as Lucy and Erza.

"Okay." Lucy clapped her hands together in satisfaction. "Close your eyes and empty your mind. Let yourself passively listen and observe the world around you."

The trainees did as instructed, breathing in and out deeply. Lucy continued instructing. It took about fifteen minutes of this before anyone was able to release their magic. Jet was the first to do so but Lucy was unwilling to bring any attention to this fact, not wanting to interrupt their conversations. After 30 minutes everyone had released their magic. Lucy watched Kiyoko and Droy's magic meld together slightly and grinned. Romeo and Macao and Alzack and Bisca's magic were similarly intertwined. 

"Alright, that's enough everyone." She announced softly, noticing they had about ten minutes left. "Kiyoko, you're new aren't you? What magic do you have?"

"Earth magic, Master."

"Call me Lucy." She smiled at the newcomer before grinning at Erza. "Seems I was right. The magics interact with each other when they are similar. Bisca and Alzack both have gun magic, Droy and Kiyoko both have magic related to the earth, Romeo and Macao both have fire magic and we both have spatial magic."

"I never said your theory was wrong." Erza pointed out, amused. "I just said that we won't know for sure until Crux finds those books in his library."

Lucy rolled her eyes at her friend before turning back to her class.

"That should be it for today, everyone. Make sure to meet us here every Tuesday and Friday, okay?"

The group agreed and Lucy and Erza headed back to the guild so they could get ready to open it for the day, letting the group talk among themselves.

"That was so cool!" Romeo bounced up and down happily. "Did you feel my magic Dad?"

"Sure did, kiddo." The man chuckled, ruffling his son's hair.

"It was cool to feel someone else's magic," Kiyoko admitted, smiling before introducing herself. "I'm Kiyoko, by the way. Your name is Droy, right?"

"Yup." He confirmed.

"And you're Jet?"

"That's me." Jet smiled politely. "It's nice to meet you."

"I was wondering if I had seen you around before," Bisca commented from beside them. "You joined when Lucy and Erza had the fair."

"That's right!" She confirmed. "You guys seemed quite rowdy at first so I wasn't sure what I was getting into..."

Bisca laughed wholeheartedly.

"Don't worry, everyone feels that way at first. You should have seen my first interaction with Erza. I was scared out of my wits."

The group of mages continued talking and laughing with each other until they reached Fairy Tail, all pleased with their decision to join in on training with their Masters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually my favorite chapter of all the ones I've posted so far. I love showing off Erza's silly side <3


	6. Chapter Six: Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy and Erza finish up training and make their way to Fiore's capital, Crocus, for the very first Grand Magic Games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I updated yesterday but... Happy Quarantine! Here's another :)

"Awesome guys! I think that's a good way to end our training!" Lucy cheered.

The group sighed in relief and got up to stretch out their sore muscles.

"Lucy and I wanted to compliment everyone on their improvement." Erza smiled, pleased. "We will inform you of your most improved area as you stretch so go ahead and start."

The mages began their stretches and popped some of their sore muscles with grins on their faces. It had certainly been a long session today, seeing as it was their last. All of them felt more ready than they had before to take on the Grand Magic Games. It was no secret both Erza and Lucy were happy with their progress and the pride the two had for them made the results they had earned even sweeter.

"Romeo." Lucy began with a grin. "You improved the most when it came to flexibility. It was really cool when you finally learned how to do the splits. I was very impressed."

The boy blushed happily. Wakaba ruffled his hair with a kind smile and the kid batted at him playfully.

"Alzack," Erza said. "You made the most improvement in your endurance. I have a feeling this will really help you out. Good job."

"I can't tell if she's complimenting me or not..." Alzack whispered to his girlfriend.

She replied with a chuckle.

"Droy. Your strength improved a lot, as I'm sure you've noticed." Lucy teased lightheartedly. "You have gotten quite muscley and it was cool to see in progress."

The large muscled man ducked his head sheepishly, rubbing his neck.

"Wakaba. It was interesting to see your magic grow in Lucy's meditations. You impressed me with your concentration." Erza nodded at the man.

He gave her a thumbs up.

"I think it was impressive because no one's seen you concentrate before. It's a real improvement." Macao teased under his breath.

Wakaba elbowed him in the ribs sharply with a roll of his eyes.

"Kiyoko." Lucy absentmindedly stopped said girl from tipping over when she did a pose similar to a flamingo. "I was surprised to see how much your magical bond with Droy has grown. Teamwork is a wonderful thing and it's great to see that in your magic."

Her cheeks reddened but the corners of her lips turned up nonetheless.

"Macao. You improved the most in endurance." Erza announced. "Good work."

"Er, thanks Erza..." Macao replied awkwardly.

"Wonder why she didn't say something nice about you, huh?" Wakaba goaded him.

The fire mage shoved him and Wakaba laughed. Macao shook his head good-naturedly.

"Bisca." Lucy interrupted, entertained. "You improved the most in strength. I was very impressed when I compared your first score to your last."

Bisca grinned proudly and Alzack shot her a smile.

"Thank you guys for working so hard!" Lucy clapped her hands.

"Thanks for teaching us, Master." Wakaba grinned.

Lucy blushed scarlet and Erza huffed, amused at her reaction.

Erza wondered privately if Lucy would ever get used to the title.

~~~~~

Fairy Tail was always a crazy guild but after most of their more wild members left to Tenrou Island, the guild tended to be calmer unless something was happening. And boy, was something happening. 

All of Fairy Tail was gathered around, chaotically spread across the many tables that filled the guild hall. Most, if not all of them, had angled their bodies towards the stage where Lucy and Erza would soon appear.

"So, Macao, how'd training go with the Masters?" Vjeeter asked, in the middle of a dance as always.

Macao slung an arm around Wakaba's shoulder before answering.

"Really well actually. I mean just look at Droy, the dude looks like Elfman used to."

There was a collective wince.

"Sorry, didn't mean to mention it." Macao scratched his cheek, eyes drifting. "Droy really did bulk out though, Master Erza is a slave driver and Master Lucy isn't much better when she gets into it."

The guild went wild when Lucy and Erza finally made their way to Fairy Tail's stage, cutting the conversation off.

"Calm down, everyone!" Lucy motioned for them to be quiet. "I know you all are excited!"

Cheers rang throughout the guildhall, one mage yelling out an enthusiastic "HECK YEAH!" to the enjoyment of his guild mates.

"Lucy and I have thought long and hard about who we want to be in our team for the Grand Magic Games." Erza continued, ignoring the outburst. "And we have officially made our decision."

The Fairy Tail mages murmured to themselves, all excited to see who had made it onto the team. They quieted when they saw Lucy was waiting for them to settle down. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"Jet, Droy, Kiyoko, Bisca, and Alzack." Lucy smiled. "Welcome to the team."

The guild exploded into congratulations and small amounts of teasing.

"Nice job, Jet!" Max punched the man in the shoulder. "I'm going to join the training sessions next year so don't get too comfortable."

"I won't." The man laughed. "But don't be so sure you'll replace me."

The mages were laughing and joking with each other, all excited for the Grand Magic Games. The beer was already flowing, and most knew it would be a long night of celebration.

"Woah, Kiyoko!" Kinana cheered as she made her way past the girl, balancing a tray of beers. "Nice work! I can't wait to see you compete."

"Ah... thank you, Kinana-san." The girl blushed. "I'll do my best."

The girls smiled at each other before Kinana left to deliver beers to a rowdy table of Fairy Tail members.

Fairy Tail continued to make fun of and congratulate each other as the night went on and the party grew chaotic.

~~~~~

Lucy and Erza retired to their office upstairs when 11 pm hit. The party had started at 8 that night and didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon. They began preparing transportation for the guild so everyone could watch their team compete in Crocus.

"We're lucky Magnolia is kinda close by, huh Erza?" Lucy mused.

"Indeed." Erza smiled. "It makes things much easier."

A knock sounded at the door and Lucy opened it.

"Hey, Warren. Need anything?" Lucy asked curiously.

"No, I'm fine." The man smiled briefly before holding out a letter. "Kinana asked if I could bring this to you because she's busy manning the bar. Everyone is really excited about the Grand Magic Games."

Lucy sweatdropped. She was very glad she was not in charge of the bar right now. She wouldn't be surprised if the girl was absolutely swarmed, seeing as most of Fairy Tail was drunk off their butts. She was certainly glad to be upstairs.

"What is it?" Erza inquired from her desk as Warren made his way out of the room.

Lucy frowned before looking closer at the parcel.

"A letter from my father."

Erza's eyes widened in surprise.

"What? What's it say?"

"Dearest Lucy." Said girl snorted at that. "It has come to my attention that you are one of the new masters of Fairy Tail. Congratulations. I... know you will do well?"

Lucy blinked at the letter, stunned.

"I... am deeply sorry for how I have been treating you since your mother died. There is no excuse for my actions. My regret is so immense that there are no words that can properly express it. I am sorry."

She blinked heavily before clearing her throat.

"Lucy." Erza interrupted softly. "You don't have to continue reading. This sounds like a personal letter."

"No, it's alright," Lucy responded a bit absently. "I don't mind."

She took a breath before moving on.

"I understand if you don't want to see me again. That's fine. But Lucy I do miss you and if you want to see me again you can contact me anytime. My address is on the back of this letter." Lucy swallowed thickly before continuing. "I will leave you to your duties now, I know you must be busy as a guild master. Hopefully, I can help you out some. I rented out the Honey Bone Inn for your guild to use and anyone with a Fairy Tail guild mark will be allowed free entry to the train for the Grand Magic Games. If you don't want to use the hotel or the train rides, that's okay as well. I... I love you, Lucy. Sincerely, your father... Jude."

Lucy gripped the piece of paper tightly and stared intensely at it.

"At least we have the transportation figured out." She joked lightly, her voice breaking.

"Lucy..."

That was all it took for the dam to break and for tears to stream down Lucy's cheeks. She sniffled and hid her face from Erza, who stared at her quietly. The redhead slowly got up and made her way to Lucy before engulfing her in a hug.

"Why does he want me now?"

Erza sighed and stroked Lucy's back soothingly as she cried.

"I don't know, Lucy. Perhaps he's finally opened his eyes."

~~~~~

The next week the guild made their way onto a Heartfillia train, ignoring the looks Erza's luggage bag garnered.

They flashed their guild marks to the train conductor, who paled slightly at just how many Fairy Tail wizards would be on his train. No doubt he did not want to see his train blown up. The Fairy Tail guild had a... pretty destructive reputation after all.

Lucy gave him a smile as if that was enough to resolve the man's worries. It wasn't.

They settled themselves in about six different compartments, seeing as each compartment could comfortably fit around four or five people.

Erza guided a distracted Lucy to a random compartment where they sat across from Nab and Warren. Erza greeted them with a soft smile and moved to look over Lucy's shoulder, where she had taken to working on some paperwork.

The train whistled and then began chugging it's way to Fiore's capital.

~~~~~

The train pulled into the Crocus station, thankfully in one piece. It slowed to a stop and the passengers disembarked.

"Woah!" Romeo cried. "Look at all the flowers and the people!"

Crocus had been decorated with white, purple, and yellow flowers to an almost overwhelming degree. They hung on street lamps, shop signs, and were even decorating the hair of some of the people walking by them. The city was also very crowded, no doubt filled with mages and magic enthusiasts who were here for the first ever Grand Magic Games.

"Well, Crocus is known as the Flower Blooming Capital." Lucy chuckled, looking around appreciatively. "I guess everyone here is really excited about these games."

Erza cleared her throat before calling back a few Fairy Tail mages who had already run off to explore.

"Now then. You all can explore as long as you don't get into any sort of shenanigans or I will personally make sure you receive proper punishment."

The group standing before paled.

"Meet us at Honey Bone at around 9 pm, okay?" Lucy smiled. "I know you're all excited for tomorrow and it's important you guys go to bed at a reasonable hour and sleep well."

"Sure thing, Lucy!"

"We gotcha, Master!"

A few more agreements were called out but the majority of Fairy Tail took it as a dismissal and readily hit the streets, excited to explore the beautiful capital.

~~~~~

Flowers fell all around Lucy and Erza as they themselves made their way through Crocus, marveling at the vendors and sights they walked past.

Erza caught sight of a pretty red flower crown and grabbed Lucy's hand with a grin, dragging her over to it. Lucy stumbled a bit, surprised before easily following the redhead towards her destination.

They stopped in front of a booth that looked like it was about to burst with the sheer amount of flower crowns, necklaces, and bouquets it was holding. Erza picked up the red flower crown she had spotted and twirled it around, taking a good look at her find.

"How much for this?" She said, looking at the flowers admiringly.

"3,000 jewels." The shopkeeper replied with an easy smile.

Erza hummed before requipping the required amount and handing it over. She looked at the crown with a pleased smile before putting it on Lucy.

Lucy blushed pink.

"Erza?"

"Just as I thought." Said girl hummed. "Red really is your color, isn't it Lucy?"

Lucy's soft pink blush turned scarlet.

"W-What?" She put a hand over her face flustered. "Erza!"

"Come now Lucy, it's nothing to be embarrassed about." Erza laughed. "Everyone has a color that suits them."

"Well! Then you get one too!" Lucy protested, hurriedly grabbing a flower crown, carefully not crushing it.

She paid for it quickly before plopping it onto Erza's head.

"There!" She stepped back and admired her work.

Erza blinked.

"What do you think about blue?"

"Hmm... I do tend to wear cooler colors more... I suppose I like it." Erza peered up at the crown on her head.

"We're even then." Lucy beamed happily.

"I suppose." Erza chuckled and threw her arm around her friend's shoulder, maneuvering them away from the booth and back into the crowd.

She smiled a bit bitterly. The blue reminded her of Jellal.

Erza missed him. She missed how he used to cheer her up even though they were both hurt, she missed how he smiled at her, soft and sweet and full of affection. Erza wanted that again. Jellal had hurt her but he had also claimed a piece of her heart that would never fully be hers again. She frowned.

"Erza?" Lucy asked from beside her. "You okay?"

"Yes." She replied. "Just thinking."

There were more important things to worry about at the moment than love.

~~~~~

They get settled in their room at Honey Bone with quick efficiency. The room was a master suite with two large beds, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

"My father really did buy out the whole inn." Lucy sweatdropped, looking around. "Our guild will definitely have their pick in beds."

Erza hummed in agreement. 

They prepared for bed quickly, changing into pajamas and brushing their teeth, before settling into their beds. The room stays silent for a good while but neither girl can sleep.

Lucy huffed, sitting up. Erza looked over at her quietly. Lucy leaned forward, resting against her knees. They stayed quiet for a bit longer before Erza moved to talk.

"Things have changed a lot, haven't they?" She murmured, sliding out of her own covers and heading over to Lucy.

"Yeah." Lucy agreed, staring at the sheets beneath her resolutely. "I..."

Erza moved to sit next to her, pressing against her side.

"It's a good change."

She circled an arm around Lucy's waist.

"I wish they were here to see it," Lucy confessed a bit brokenly.

"Me too."

They looked over at one another solemnly before Erza pulled the sheets around them both and cuddled close to Lucy's side, both now laying down.

"I'm glad I have you," Erza whispered long after Lucy fell asleep.

She stayed there for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my longest chapter so far so I'm pretty happy about it. Let me know if you find any mistakes because I am currently un betaed.


End file.
